DNFs and THE JACKASS

Ok so the last 3 races I've done I've DNF'd (Did not finish). State Criterium Cat 3 race, Bear Lake Cat 3 race and now the RMR A race tonite. Mechanicals, mechanicals and lack of concentration. First race my seat post fell (actually Mark Chrysler's bike), next race at Bear Lake after about 80-85 miles my cleat fell off (not good). This was from putting on new cleats at 12:30am the night before a race. I was on call for work and worked late (11:30pm) the night before then was up at 5 to get on the road at 5:45 to drive upto Bear Lake.

We got there super early before 8am for a 8:45 start. After waiting in line for my pre registered number and then waiting to take a PBD (personal best dump) I had about 8 minutes to get ready. Figured my cleats were ok but it obviously was loose. I didn't warmup and we shot out of the gate at 30mph for a 100 mile race. It was so fast that we were actually catching the Pro/1/2s on the North side of the lake. After about 10 miles I made a big dig to follow SBO's super TT/strongman Aaron Olson to a move. I thought it looked good but the pack chased it right down. My HR was 190 on that one pretty early but it woke me up from the drive up and lack of sleep.
It's funny how I thought for sure that no breaks would work but apparently in the Cat 3s the group of 3 that were 1,2,3 stayed away. I've done this race 4 years and they start to blur together. This was the 1st year that the wind wasn't really blowing super hard. It seemed to pick up at the end of the race. Damn I was feeling good for the run in. It's a whole different world trying to sprint after 100 miles vs an hour crit.
After I dropped my cleat. I stopped and rode back around the other way to find my friend Rich who I drove up with. He was riding around the lake the oppposite way solo. It was a good ride to see the cows grazing and what God created up there in the Bear Lake area. In the race it was hard to see the scenary as there were some sketchiness and you had to be on your toes. One guy had a loud brake would grind on his carbon wheels really loud everytime he hit his brakes. It scared me everytime I heard it because it sounded like a crash. Unfortunately the times I have been around crashes I usually hear them in front of me b4 I see them so I was a little jumpy. I moved out of the asshole zone and was in the front 5 or 6 a bunch of times and some guy almost took me out swerving in like 4th position???
Tonite at RMR it was pretty funny. We rode around somewhat hard. There was a break of 3. We passed the B pack on their last lap then we slowed. We let them finish and slowed. It was hot out there and I had cotton mouth since it was pretty hard most of the time. I took the opportunaty to get a drink. Of course I just lost concentration for a second and hit that stupid pot hole and flatted. It was funny because one of my bike buddies said to me after the race "who was that jackass that hit that pothole after we rode by it for an hour". I was like are you joking. I was like dude that was ME.....LOL!